External Ear Disorders

Dermatitis of the ear canal is characterized by pruritis, scaling, flaking, and erythema of the skin of the external auditory meatus and ear canal. Dermatitis can be caused by exposure to allergens (contact dermatitis) or can be spontaneous (chronic otitis externa, aural eczematoid dermatitis).

Nose and Paranasal Sinus Disorders

Nasal vestibulitis is bacterial infection of the nasal vestibule, typically with Staphylococcus aureus . It may result from nose picking or excessive nose blowing and causes annoying crusts and bleeding when the crusts slough off. Bacitracin or mupirocin ointment applied topically bid for 14 days is effective.

Tumors of the Head and Neck

Head and neck cancer develops in almost 60,000 people in the United States each year. Excluding skin and thyroid cancers, > 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell (epidermoid) carcinomas; most of the rest are adenocarcinomas, sarcomas, and lymphomas.

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